DIETERS are forever looking for new ways to help them lose weight that are inexpensive and risk-free.

A new weight-loss study in the North East aims to investigate whether natural remedies really do manage to shift those pesky pounds.

The BEWLoss Study will be carried out by Newcastle University and intends to test the effectiveness of three weight-loss products currently on the market.

The study has been financed and commissioned by global manufacturer Naturex.

The university aims to recruit 150 people aged 25 to 40, who are all categorised as “overweight” according to their Body Mass Index (BMI).

A healthy BMI is anywhere between 18.5 and 24.9 whereas participants will have a BMI in the range 25 to 30.

The pilot trial will test weight-loss products that have natural sources, often containing plant extracts.

Dr Kirsten Brandt, senior lecturer at Newcastle University, leads a team of 10 people conducting the study.

She said: “We do not accept there is such a thing as a magic pill.

“However, we do have reason to believe that if you take these products at a time when you are trying to lose weight by eating healthily and taking regular exercise it will not feel as hard.

“There is no way round it. You do need to make an effort, but there may be a remedy that makes it easier.”

With a huge variety of weight-loss products on the market, ranging from herbal remedies to so-called “magic pills”, what should consumers really look for?

Frankie Phillips, dietician for the British Dietetic Association, said: “There are a lot of natural weight-loss products out there at the moment that can help people to lose weight.

“Choosing the right ones boils down to common sense. There is no magic formula beyond sustaining a healthily lifestyle over a period of time.

“They are minimally effective if they are not used in conjunction with a balanced diet as well as regular exercise.”

One weight-loss option that is becoming more popular is “meal replacements” which are widely available. Among the most popular is Slim-Fast!, commonly seen in the form of milkshakes and snack bars.

By following a basic one-two-three plan, the company favours a diet plan which uses calorie-controlled snacks for breakfast and lunch combined with a balanced meal in the evening.

The products work by making you feel full without wasting energy.

Frankie said: “Meal replacement does seem to be a good option and helps to instigate positive changes in the long-term. Often they are used by people as a motivational tool.

“They are nutritionally well-balanced and studies have shown that they can maintain weight-loss in the long term.

“However, the downside is that they do not provide any opportunities to teach people a healthier way of eating and can be very expensive.”

Meal replacements are fortunate to have the holy grail of approval by the European Food Standards Agency, which validates claims made by the manufacturer.

New European regulations mean that all companies that make food with health claims will have to be tested and a safe mark issued by the European Food Standards Agency.

Any without such mark will be immediately pulled from the shelves.

But this is not a matter of public safety, according to Frankie.

She said: “There are no major issues with the natural weight-loss products in terms of safety.

“However, it doesn't necessarily mean because they are allowed to be sold that they are effective.

“Herbal products for example do not have enough substantial evidence to support their claims – there are no long-term studies that have been carried out on such products on the market.”

However, the findings of the BEWloss Study could change that.

The products, which at this stage cannot be named, are not dissimilar to meal replacement remedies in the way they work, according to Dr Brandt.

She said: “They are concerned with the way in which you digest food.

“The idea is that by slowing down the digestion process you will not take in as much energy from the food you eat.”

The trial will take place for more than two months and will be “intense and highly exploratory”.

Participants will be asked to wear a pedometer at all times and will have to have regular blood samples taken for monitoring purposes.

They will also have consultations with a dietician throughout the project.

“The study will be for people who really want to lose weight and who will take the process seriously,” explained Dr Brandt.

“Everyone will have their own weight management plan and will have to take botanical supplements every day for eight weeks.

“They won't be paid, but they will get to keep their pedometer.”

The trial follows on from research by Newcastle University earlier this year into how a natural fibre found in seaweed could help people shift the pounds.

A team of scientists led by Dr Iain Brownlee and Prof Jeff Pearson found that dietary fibre in one of the world's largest commercially used seaweed could reduce the amount of fat available for absorption by the body by around 75%.

Using an artificial gut, they tested the effectiveness of more than 60 natural fibres by measuring the amount of fat that was digested and absorbed with each treatment.

They found that alginate – a natural fibre found in sea kelp – stops the digestion of fat better than most anti-obesity treatments currently available over the counter.

Dr Brownlee said: “Obesity is an ever-growing problem and many people find it difficult to stick to diet and exercise plans in order to lose weight.

“There are countless claims about miracle cures for weight loss. But only a few cases offer any sound scientific evidence to back up these claims.

“These initial findings suggest alginates could offer a very real solution in the battle against obesity.”

Alginates are already commonly used at a very low level in many foods as thickeners and stabilisers.

This research is part of a three-year project funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.